I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for releasably securing a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle, and more specifically to a hitch pin arrangement adapted to pass through aligned apertures in two spaced-apart portions of a trailer hitch for coupling the end of the tongue of the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Various forms of hitch pins are known in the art. In one common arrangement, the pin merely comprises an elongated cylindrical member having a handle at one end thereof, with the size of the handle being larger than the aperture in the trailer hitch with which the hitch pin is to be used. Formed proximate the opposite end of the pin is a transversely extending bore, which is adapted to receive a cotter key or the like to prevent the hitch pin from being inadvertently or accidentally removed from the trailer hitch due to bouncing, vibration or the like while passing over rough terrain. While effective for its intended purpose of joining a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle, this prior art type of hitch pin is less than satisfactory from the standpoint of ease of use. It tends to be a cumbersome operation to dismount from the towing vehicle, insert the hitch pin in the trailer hitch of that vehicle, and insert the cotter key through the bore in the hitch pin in order to couple the two vehicles together. Similarly, when it is desired to detach or decouple the two vehicles again, the operator is required to deal with the cotter key safety device.
Because of the inconvenience, some persons forego the use of the safety cotter key pin and thus risk loss of the hitch pin should it bounce free of the trailer hitch and also risk an inadvertent uncoupling of the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle.
The Copeman U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,423 describes a hitch pin in which a magnetic member is joined to the pin and the magnetic force of attraction is used to hold the hitch pin in position on the trailer hitch even when traversing rough ground. However, the design described in the Copeman patent was not altogether successful principally because magnets of the 1953 era did not have sufficient strength to hold tightly against the ferrous metal comprising the trailer hitch. Somewhat more recently, ceramic magnets having very high forces of attraction have become available. However, these ceramic magnets tend to be somewhat fragile and are easily shattered. Hence, if used as the magnetic member on the hitch pin of the Copeman patent, it would not stand up to the abusive treatment encountered during use. The hitch pin of the present invention provides a solution to that problem.